Bloggers on the right, so confident and assured of late, were surprised and disorientated by David Davis's resignation, properly out of the blue.

On Conservativehome, initial reaction was perplexed and split. "Best political speech I can remember! A politician with principles that he is prepared to stand by," wrote one early contributor.

Followed quickly by another: "Hang on just a minute... this is the most farcicle [sic] of situations. DD is resigning to contest a byelection, at enormous expense to the taxpayer, for a single issue of which the Lib Dems will not be contesting. It is utterly surreal and totally bonkers. My respect for DD, which was considerable until this cretinous move, has all but been extinguished."

And soon after: "I don't agree with David Davis's views on Europe, amongst other things, but on THIS issue - I'm behind him 100%.A brave, principled and noble stance."

At Conservativehome's sister site, CentreRight, Simon Chapman wrote: "I cannot see an up-side for the Conservative party in this. This can only be seen as a challenge to David Cameron. Why has he done this? Why now? Why did his job not give him a sufficient platform to make the case he wanted to? Why has he decided that he needed to resign to campaign on the erosion of civil liberties and on 42 days, when he was the Party's spokesman on those issues? No doubt we will find out more soon, but my current emotion is utter dismay. It suggests that DD believes the party does not share his commitment - why else resign?"

Iain Dale, Davis's former chief of staff, was all over the airwaves but on his blog he kept it brief and crestfallen.

"Earlier today I had decided to have a three-day break from blogging, for reasons which I will explain later on today or tomorrow. Just as well I didn't. David Davis is resigning from the shadow cabinet, resigning his seat and will fight a byelection on the 42 days issue." That was it, for a long while.

On the Spectator's blog, Coffee House, James Forsyth reckoned Davis's gamble may backfire.

"David Cameron's ruthlessness was on full display just now in his statement on Davis' resignation. He has appointed Dominic Grieve as the new shadow home secretary. There was no indication that Davis would get his old job back once he wins his byelection - his bluff has been well and truly called. Also, worth noting that Cameron did not commit the Tories to repealing the 42-day detention measure if it passes."

If Cameron is angry, he may have good reason. "David Cameron has lost control of his strategy," wrote Nick Robinson at the Beeb. This was not his decision. He was not asked for his agreement. He was informed late last night by David Davis that he was going to do this come what may."

It obviously seemed a good idea at the time. "When i walked over to Millbank with David Davis at 10 o'clock last night, he was full of the excitement of the vote and took great pleasure in rehearsing the lines he used against Gordon Brown on 42 days," relayed Benedict Brogan. As we parted he told me: 'I might be in touch tomorrow. I have an idea.' His smile - the trademark DD kitten-strangler twinkle - suggested more mischief aimed at the PM."

John Redwood, the former Welsh secretary, offered: "His selfless act to give more prominence to this issue is a bolt from the blue. I do hope the Conservative party will allow him to fight the seat as he sees fit, and welcome him back if and when he wins... it is a commentary on the way that this government has marginalised and sidelined its part time parliament that a leading MP feels he needs to trigger a byelection to get the message across. Good on you David. I want you to win."

It looks like he will -- the byelection, at least. Stephen Tall at Liberal Democrat Voice reckoned: "With the Lib Dems backing Mr Davis in the subsequent byelection - and Labour recording just 12% of the vote at the 2005 general election - he will almost certainly return to the Commons with an overwhelming personal mandate, a hero to those Conservatives and others, including the Lib Dems, who genuinely understand the importance of civil liberties."